A catastrophic landslide in a remote village in northern Papua New Guinea has resulted in the deaths of nearly 100 people, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Friday.
The disaster struck the village of Kaoukalem in the Enga Province around 3 a.m. local time (05:00 GMT).
Social media images depict villagers climbing over massive boulders and navigating through tree trunks and debris left in the landslide’s wake as they assess the extensive damage.
Rescue operations are underway to recover bodies from the site of the disaster. The landslide has left the community in shock, as they work tirelessly to locate survivors and mourn those lost in this tragic event.
Papua New Guinea, an island nation located in the southwestern Pacific, is particularly prone to natural disasters such as landslides, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions due to its location along the Pacific Ring of Fire.
The region’s mountainous terrain and heavy rainfall often exacerbate the risk of such occurrences.
This recent landslide highlights the vulnerability of remote villages in Papua New Guinea, where access to emergency services is limited and infrastructure is often insufficient to handle large-scale natural disasters.
In a similar incident in February 2018, Papua New Guinea experienced a massive earthquake that resulted in significant loss of life and widespread destruction.
The recovery from such disasters is often prolonged and arduous, with many communities struggling to rebuild amidst limited resources and challenging environmental conditions.
